Excelsior-cutting machine.



BXUELSIOR CUTTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. e, 1904.

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W. H. NIEMEYER.

EXOELSIOR CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6. 1904.

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No. 823,432. PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906.

W. H. NIEMEYER.

EXOELSIOR CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. G, 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Witness W W I mum No. 823,432. 'PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906. W. H. NIEMEYER.

' 'BXCELSIOR CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. e. 1904.

5 SHBETSQSHEET 4.

avwantoz v Q vihwowo KFM PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906. W. H. NIEMBYBR.

BXGELSIOR CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6. X904.

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UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. NIEMEYER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

EXOELSlOR-CUTTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1906.

Application files September 6,1904- Serial No, 223,513.

To all whom it may c0ncern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. NIE- MEYER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Excelsior-Cutting Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for making eXcelsior; and the objectis to increase the capacity of machines of this class and at the sametime provide a machine of exceedingly simple construction which will besmooth and easy in its running.

The invention contemplates the arrangement of the scorers and cutters onindependent carriers so disposed and operated as to cooperate in thescoring of the block of wood from which the eXcelsior is to be formedand the cutting of the shavings therefrom.

The invention also contemplates the provision of simple and effectivefeed mechanism for feeding a series of blocks to be successively actedupon by the scorers and cutters.

With the above object in View the invention consists in the novelfeatures of construction hereinafter fully described, particularlypointed out in the claims, and clearly illustrated by the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructedin accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a top plan view of the same,the disk or carrier for the cutter being broken away 011 one side of itscenter to show one set of scorers in operative position; Fig. 3, a frontelevation of the machine; Fig. 4, a transverse sectional view taken onthe line 4 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a front elevation with the feedmechanism removed, showing the carrier-disk and two sets of scorers inoperative position relative thereto; Fig. 6, a rear elevation of themachine, partly in section to show i the arrangement of the carrier forthe scorers Figs. 7 and 8, enlarged detail views showing the arrangementof the scorer-heads and track upon which they travel; Fig. 9, asectional detail view showing the manner of at taching the cutters tothe carrier-disk; and Fig. 10, an enlarged detail view of the pushers ofthe feed mechanism, showing their construction and manner of attachmentto the carrier-chains.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates the baseof the machine,v having raised therefrom two alined stands orbearing-supports 2, carrying suitable bearings for alongitudinally-extending power-shaft 3, upon the inner end of which thecarrier for the cutters is attached, said carrier in the presentinstance being illustrated as a disk 5. Said disk is formed about itsface with a number of equidistant openings 6 of a size and shape tocooperate with the scorers which project therethrough to effect thescoring of the block, as will be fully described hereinafter. I haveshown the disk as provided with three of these openings; but the numbercan be varied without affecting my invention. Formed about the base ofthe disk between the openings 6 are a, number of radially-disposed slots7, each of which is enlarged upon the rear side of the disk and providedwith an inclined wall, to which a cutter 8 is adjustably secured, thecutting edge of which projects through the slot to the front face of thedisk a sufficient distance to slice a shaving of the desired thicknessfrom the block. The number of these slots and cutters may also be variedwithout departing from the scope of my invention.

The stand or support 2 nearest the rear face of the disk carries twolaterally-disposed substantially U-shaped supports 9, the arms of eachof which are provided with horizontally-alined bearings for a shaft 10,extending transversely of the machine. Each of these shafts carries onits inner end a bevelgear 11, meshing with a similar gear 12 on a shortshaft 13, mounted in a suitable bearing upon said stand 2, said shaftbeing driven by a belt 13 from the power-shaft 3. Each shaft 10 alsocarries sprockets or chain-wheels 14, spaced from each other anddisposed within the arms of the supports 9. Sprocket-chains 15 passaround these wheels and around sprocket-wheels 16, carried by shafts 17,mounted in the supports 9 below the shafts 10, and constitute thecarriers for the scorers. Attached to or formed as a link of each pairof chains is a scorer-head consisting of a socket portion or bar 18,disposed between the chains of each pair, and in which a plurality ofscoring teeth or knives 19 are removably secured. Each scorer-head alsocarries rollers 20, which travel upon the outer sides of tracks 21,arranged adjacent to each chain. Extending inwardly from eachscorer-head is an arm or bracket 22, in which a yielding member 23 issupported, carrying a roller 24, traveling upon the inner side of thetrack 21. These rollers 24 are normally held against the track by theaction of coiled springs 25 on said members 23. The bearings for shaftsare made adjustable by any well known structure, as illustrated, wherebythe slack may be removed from the carrier-chains.

The operation of my invention as thus far described is as follows: Therevolution of the disk is so timed with respect to the movement of thescorers that when one of the sets of scoring-teeth passes over the uppersprockets one of the openings 6 of the disk will be in such a positionthat the said scoring-teeth will swing thereinto and project therefromto the front face of the disk, in operative position, to act upon theface of the block of wood which is fed to proper position by the feedmechanism presently to be described. This position of the scorer withrespect to the disk will be maintained until the face of the block hasbeen traversed, when the scorer having reached the extent of itsmovement in a straight line will, by reason of the passage thereofaround the lower sprockets, swing out of the opening 6 in the disk andbegin its return movement. The tracks prevent the sagging of chains andcause the scorer to firmly engage the block, thus insuring a cut ofuniform depth. The scorer having acted .upon the block, the cuttersfollowing it slice .shavings therefrom, said cutters being set to 5 thecarrier-disk, will travel in reverse directions, so that the scorers ofone will when the .machine is arranged vertically operate on the-blockfrom top to bottom thereof, while the scorers of the other will moveacross the face of the block from bottom to top, this being necessary,as they must move in the same direction as the cutters carried by thedisk.

ing dovetailed tracks disposed one on 1 each side of the vertical centerof the carrier- I will now describe my feed mechanism, of

which there are two, one on each side of the 1 .,,vertical center of thedisk, to feed the blocks i to the scoring and shaving or slicingposition.

Raised from the forward portion of the base 1 of the machine is asupport 24, provided with horizontal longitudinally-extenddisk and atthe front face thereof. Arranged to have a sliding movement on each ofsaid tracks are two feed-boxes 26 and 27 positioned in line with eachother and open at These boxes are separated slightly, so that theforward one may havea slight rearward movement independent of the rearbox.

Mounted upon the exterior of each box 27 adjacent to the respective endsthereof, in

suitable bearings are shafts 28, carrying spaced sprocket or chainwheels 29 for the carrier-chains 30, which pass therearound, said chainspassing through suitable openings in the side walls of said boxes andextending along the inner faces of the latter. Connecting the chains ofeach vertical pair are pushers 31, each being pivotally attached to thechains, which constitute the carrier therefor. Said pushers are providedadjacent to each end with a laterally-extending arm 32, carrying aroller 33, moving on the side wall of the box or a suitable track duringthe travel of the pushers through boxes. The shafts at the forward endof boxes 27 are provided on their lower ends with bevel-gears 34,meshing with similar gears 35 on short shafts 36, mounted in suitablebearings below shafts 28 and driven by sprocket-chains 37, passingaround sprockets 38 carried thereby, and sprockets 39, formed on hubs40, loose on a shaft 41, mounted upon the base 1 and locked to orreleased from said shaft by suitable clutches 42. Said shaft 41 carriesa wormgear 43, meshing with a similar gear 43 upon a shaft 44, mountedon the under side of the base 1 and driven bya belt 45 from thepowershaft 3.

Boxes 26 are each provided adjacent to the discharge ends of boxes 27with a pair of feed-rolls 46, disposed at the top and bottom. thereofand extending transversely. The upper roll of each pair is arranged byany suitable structure to yieldupwardly against the pressure of springs47. The shafts of the rolls of each pair carry sprockets 48, aroundwhich sprocket-chains 49 pass, and the shafts of the lower rolls areprovided with sprockets 50, connected by sprocket-chains 51 withsprockets 52 on hubs 40.

Pivotally mounted on arms depending from the tracks 25 or otherconvenient part are bell-crank levers 53, one being arranged adjacent tothe under side of each of the boxes 26 27. The short arm of each leveris pivotally connected with the adjacent box by a link 54, while thelong arm carries a 1 weight 55, which may be adjusted thereon. j One ofthe shafts 28 of each pair is mounted in suitable adjustable bearings,whereby any slack may be removed from chains 30.

The operation of my improved feed mechanism is as follows: Blocks ofwood from which the excelsior is to be made are dropped 1 into box 27,the top being open for this purpose, and are fed forward in said box bythe j pushers, which swing thereinto in pairs in the rear of the blockor series of blocks. These 2 pushers are held firmly in engagement withthe block during their travel through the box by said rollers 33, movingupon the side j walls of the box or track, and when the block j has beencarried far enough to be engaged by the rolls 46 the limit of travel ofsaid pushers has been reached, and they swing out of i the box throughthe openings in the sides thereof. When these openings are reached, Iplane of the cutter, and move therein during the rollers 33 run off thewall of the box or track provided therefor, permitting the pushers toswing upon their pivots by pressure thereof against the block, and thusgradually disengage the latter, so that the movement of thecarrier-chains is not checked or stopped and there is no amming orbreaking of the parts which would occur were the pushers not connectedwith the carrierchains, so as to rovide for such swinging movementthereof. The blocks are then engaged by the feed-rolls 46 and fedforward to the scorers and cutters. By providing the clutch mechanismsdescribed either one or both of the feed mechanisms may be thrown out ofgear. Should there be a resistance or pressure upon the block operatedon by the scorers and cutters sufficient to overcome the action ofweight 55, attached to box 26, said box will slide rearwardly, andshould this pressure still continue said box will, by engagement withbox 27, cause said box to move rearwardly, the two boxes then movingtogether and against the combined action of both weights 55. Should anyconsiderable resistance be encountered by the blocks at their entranceinto the box 26 and engagement by the feed-rolls, box 27 will yieldrearwardly in a like manner. As soon as the pressure is removed theweights will restore said boxes to their normal positions. The forwardend of the base of the machine carrying the feed mechanism iscontracted, so as not to obstruct the dropping of the excelsior from thecutters, the machine in use being elevated, so that the shavings candrop therebelow to any suitable receptacle for collecting the same.

I do not limit my invention to any particular number of scoring andcutting mechanisms and feed mechanisms therefor, but have found that amachine constructed as shown and described has a large capacity and iscapable of being operated with a small amount of power.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a machine for cutting excelsior, a cutter and a scorer carried byindependentlymounted carriers, means for causing said outter and scorerto move in the same straight line during a portion of the movement ofthe carriers, the scorer in advance of the cutter, and means for feedinga block of wood to position to be acted upon by the cutter and SCOI'GI'.

2. In a machine for cutting excelsior, a rotary carrier, a cuttercarried thereby, a carrier arranged adjacent to said rotary carrier andhaving its axis of movement at right angles to the axis of rotation ofthe rotary carrier, a scorer carried thereby, means'for causing saidscorer to move into and out of the a portion of the movement of itscarrier, in advance of the cutter, and means for feeding a block of woodto position to be acted on by the cutter and scorer.

3. In a machine for cutting excelsior, a rotary carrier, a cuttercarried thereby, a scorer, a carrier for said scorer positioned adjacentto and mounted independent of said rotary carrier and constructed andarranged to swing said scorer into the plane of travel of the cutter inadvance of the latter and to cause said scorer to move in the samestraight line as the .cutter and to swing said scorer out of the planeof travel of the cutter after the completion of said straight-linemovement, and means for feeding a block of wood in position to be actedupon by said cutter and scorer.

4. In a machine for cutting excelsior, a rotary carrier, a cutter havingits cutting edge upon the one side of the carrier, a scorer, a carrierfor said scorer positioned on the opposite side of said rotary carrier,and constructed and arranged to bring said scorer into position upon theside of the rotary carrier carrying the cutting edge of the cutter andin advance thereof, and to impart a straight-line movement thereto, andremove the same therefrom after the completion of the straight-linemovement, and means for feeding a block of wood to position to be actedupon by said cutter and scorer.

5. In a machine for cutting excelsior, a rotary carrier, a cutter havingits cutting edge projecting from one side of said carrier, said carrierhaving an opening formed therein in advance of the cutter, a scorer, acarrier for said scorer positioned upon the opposite side of the rotarycarrier, and arranged to move said scorer into and out of said opening,means for causing said carriers to move in unison while the scorer is insaid opening and means for feeding a block of wood to position to beacted upon by said scorer and cutter.

6. In a machine for cutting excelsior, a rotary disk, a cutter carriedthereby having its cutting edge upon one side thereof, said disk formedwith an opening therethrough in advance of the cutter, a scorer, acarrier for said scorer positioned on the opposite side of the scorer,and arranged to move said scorer into and out of the opening, means forcausin the carriers to move in unison, while the scorer is in saidopening, and means for feeding a block of wood to position to be actedupon by said scorer and cutter.

7. In a machine for cutting excelsior, a cutter, a carrier therefor, ascorer arranged at the rear of the cutter and its carrier, a carrier forsaid scorer mounted independently of said cutter-carrier arranged tomove said scorer into and out of the plane of travel of the cutter inadvance thereof, and cause the same to move in the same straight line asthe cutter, and a feed mechanism arranged at the front side of thecutter and its carrier for feeding a block of wood to position to 'beacted upon by said cutter and scorer.

8. In a machine for cutting excelsior, a carrier consisting of anendless chain or belt, a scorer carried thereby, a track arranged adjacent to said carrier, a roller carried by the scorer moving upon theone side of the track, a yieldingly-mounted roller carried by the scorermoving upon the opposite side of the track, and means for impartingmovement to said carrier.

9. In a machine for cutting excelsior, the combination with a cutter, oftwo independently-slidable feed boxes or ways arranged in such relativeposition that when the forward box has moved rearwardly a certaindistance it will effect the rearward movement of the rear boX and thetwo will move together, means for offering a resistance to the rearwardmovement of each box, and feeding devices operating in said box.

10. In a machine for cutting eXcelsior, a rotary carrier, a cuttercarried thereby, a carrier positioned adjacent to said rotary car riercomprising an endless belt or chain arranged to move the scorer carriedthereby into and out of the plane of the cutter and to cause the same tomove therein during a portion of its movement in advance of the cutter,a scorer carried by said endless belt or chain, and means for feeding ablock of wood to position to be acted upon by said cutter and scorer.

11. In a machine for cutting excelsior, a rotary carrier, a cutterhaving its cutting edge upon one side of the carrier, a scorer, acarrier for said scorer positioned on the opposite side of said rotarycarrier, said scorer-carrier comprising an endless belt or chainconstructed and arranged to bring said scorer into position upon theside of the rotary carrier carrying the cutting edge of the cutter andin advance thereof, and to impart a straight-line movement thereto, andremove the same therefrom after the completion of the straight-linemovement, and means for feeding a block of wood to position to be actedupon by said cutter and scorer.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

, WILLIAM II. NIEMEYER I/Vitnesses'.

Trros. KELL BRADFORD, AUG.'W. BRADFORD

